Dr. Sugeeth Patabendige was appointed as the New Head of the Department of Marketing Management at the University of Kelaniya. The appointment letter was handed over to the Head by the Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor Nilanthi De Silva, on 5^th of December 2023 at the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.

Dr. Patabendige counts close to two decades in academia both as an educator and as an administrator. He is well-regarded for his innovative and inspirational teaching. Having been recognized globally by winning several accolades such as the CIMA Tutor of the Year 2009 and CIMA Star 2014 awards. As an administrator, he functioned as the founding director of the Center for International Relations at the University of Kelaniya, Coordinator of the World Bank Quality and Innovation Grant, and the ERP/SAP Learning Hub at the Department of Marketing Management of the University of Kelaniya.

Dr. Patabendige holds a Ph.D. in Accountancy from RMIT University, Australia; a master’s degree specializing in Economics from the University of Colombo; and a Bachelor of Business Administration (Special) Degree specializing in Finance from the same university. He is also a Fellow member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK (FCMA, CGMA) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK (ACIM).

The new head of the department is known for his diverse interest in research spanning from financial liberalization, skills development, management control systems, and climate change adaptation and as a visionary educationalist with his many contributions to curriculum development both within the University and outside, including designing curricula and study material for CA Sri Lanka, AAT Sri Lanka, SLASSCOM, DP Education, and CMA Sri Lanka.  

Under Dr. Patabendige’s leadership, the Department of Marketing Management aims to consolidate its position as the premier tertiary marketing management educator of the country, with a greater focus on futuristic technologies and learning experiences.